• The Trump administration sets new fixed visa terms for foreign students and journalists.
• International students can stay in the U.S. for a maximum of four years, while journalists face limits of 240 days.
• The changes aim to improve monitoring compliance with immigration regulations.
• Education groups caution that these rules may deter international students, affecting U.S. higher education.
• The new regulation is subject to congressional review before taking effect.

The Trump administration has announced a significant shift in U.S. immigration policy, imposing new limits on the duration of stay for foreign students, exchange visitors, and journalists. Under the new regulations from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), international students on F visas and exchange visitors on J visas will be limited to a maximum stay of four years. Foreign journalists, who typically hold I visas, will only be permitted to stay for 240 days, with Chinese journalists restricted to just 90 days. This marks a departure from the previous open-ended system that allowed stays for the duration of academic programs or assignments, according to Indiatimes and Channel News Asia.

The DHS stated that these adjustments are part of a broader immigration enforcement strategy aimed at addressing concerns about compliance with visa regulations. The department has identified instances of many individuals remaining indefinitely in the U.S. under their student or exchange statuses. Furthermore, as of 2024, the U.S. recorded over 1.8 million admissions for student visas, a surge of more than 11% from the previous year, which the DHS claims complicates their ability to monitor these visa holders effectively. With this context, the new regulation intends to enforce stricter compliance and accountability among foreign visitors, according to Le Monde and Al Jazeera.